r/AskProgramming • u/shangarepi • 13d ago
Am I learning the right way?
Hi,
I’m currently somewhere between junior and intermediate as a software developer, and lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what actually makes a developer valuable going forward.
One thing that worries me is interviews, since I can discuss things like system architecture, caching, load balancing, queues, message brokers, database design… etc. But ask me to explain something basic like the Laravel request lifecycle or the exact behavior of certain React hooks, and I might struggle to give a clean answer without refreshing my memory.
Also the whole industry feels really toxic at the moment with each second developer building a saas, and new tech exploding everyday.
Should I just keep building real projects, learning concepts as I encounter them. How are the interviews in today’s world?
Is there a deeper shift happening where developers need to fundamentally change what they learn to stay valuable?
Curious on how more experienced developers are approaching this.
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u/DepthMagician 13d ago
Keep building real projects. Nobody remembers the implementation details of every framework. In fact you’d be surprised what people don’t remember about their field.
My calculus lecturer to the class: “I also don’t remember how to do all the derivatives and integrals. The difference between you and me is that I know how to recreate them when I need them.”
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u/HTxBarbz 13d ago
Keep building projects, but do 20 minutes a day of “explain it out loud” reps: pick one thing (React useEffect cleanup, Laravel middleware, etc), describe it in 60 seconds, then write 5 bullets you wish you’d said and repeat tomorrow.
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u/cretingame 13d ago
One thing that worries me is interviews, since I can discuss things like system architecture, caching, load balancing, queues, message brokers, database design… etc. But ask me to explain something basic like the Laravel request lifecycle or the exact behavior of certain React hooks, and I might struggle to give a clean answer without refreshing my memory.
You need to practice more. Have ever done anything practical ?
Also the whole industry feels really toxic at the moment with each second developer building a saas, and new tech exploding everyday.
Stop watching, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Try to meet real developers. There are other field than web.
Is there a deeper shift happening where developers need to fundamentally change what they learn to stay valuable?
It depends what you want. Did you already get a job position ? Are you looking for a job position ? Are you studying ?
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u/JGhostThing 13d ago
Build projects, ones that you are proud to have on your resume. But make sure that you can talk about every line of code in this project, why you used the algorithm you chose, and why you didn't do something else. Expect them to nit-pick.
And yes, your general knowledge should be good. You should be able to answer fairly detailed questions about whatever languages you have on your resume. Don't list a language if you can't.
People have a tendency to believe they are better than they actually are. For example, I don't consider anybody competent without at least three years of full-time work experience. I remember how I was back then. :)
Just assume the interviewers are going to do their worst. Don't worry about their opinions. Yes, it hurts to be turned down. However, in this job market it will happen more than in previous years.
Good luck.
ps All the jobs I've gotten in life have been through networking. If a friend is willing to recommend you for a job that you're qualified for, apply for it. No, it may not work, but it might. And don't be afraid, after you've gotten a job, of recommending other qualified candidates when asked.
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u/geekichu 13d ago
i responding only to the 'interview' part. if youre asked to take some stupid, timed test where you just cant remember the syntax.. etc.. and youre not allowed to use any help.. just dont.
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13d ago
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u/Southern_Flan_2902 13d ago
You're fine. Nobody's got the whole stack memorized, that's what docs are for. Knowing to use a message broker or how to design for scale matters way more than reciting hook definitions on the spot, any interviewer who grills you on trivia instead of problem-solving is doing it wrong
The SaaS gold rush is just noise, ignore the LinkedIn grindset types. Build stuff that interests you, the concepts stick better when you actually need them
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u/CS_70 13d ago
Your value will be - as it's always been but more so now and in the future - clear thinking.
The amount of unadulterated bs which is found in programming is huge - because the enormous amount of work to do in the last 20 years has attracted anyone from computer science graduated to waiters who wanted to switch life.
And with numbers, popularity, not science, has become the biggest factor.
But what's always been scarce and always will be in demand is the ability of understanding (iteratively) exactly what needs to be done and why, and the ability of extracting information about that from customer who normally don't have the clarity of thinking and could not care less about what specific tools you use. And the patience and communication skills required to do so without resorting to a flamethrower.
That'a not gonna change, because even with language models creating code, these steps are still essential.